Body recovering drag



Feb. 17, 1959 E. THOMASx BODYRECOVERING DRAG Filed Oct. 9, 19 56 Lawrence E. Thomas IN VEN TOR.

- Pat ented Feb. 17, 1959,

2,s1s,991 nonY nncovnnnvo DRAG L'avvrenceE. Thomas, Terre Haute, Ind. Application October 9, 1956, Serial Ne. 614,813

a or. 294-156) The present invention relates to a' novel wheel-supported frame or drag which is. submergible in a river or an equivalent body of water and. which is provided with chain-supported grapnel hooks which function to enable a user to drag the bottom of the body of water to recover adeadbody. j M r Although devices in this. category are. variously called grapnels, grappling equipment and so on, they are for the most part referred to briefly as a body recovering drag. The art to which the invention pertains is made up of varying structural adaptations. A typical drag is however shown in Patent 1,753,468 granted to McAlpiue. As disclosed by this expired patent and other analogous prior adaptations a bar having draft means and suitable grapnel means thereon is old. More specifically, the grapnel means is usually made up of flexible chains or the like attached at longitudinally spaced points to the bar and equipped with multiple prong grappling hooks.

An object of the instant invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon prior art drags and, in so doing, to provide a simple, practical and economical construction in which manufacturers will find manufacturing, replacement and repair requirements properly met and police and other users will find their emergency river dragging needs effectually met.

Another object of this invention is to provide a complete ready-to use body recovering drag. When it arrives on the scene there is nothing to take apart or put together. Normally, and when the drag is not in use, the hook-equipped chains are bagged in the manner illustrated in the drawing. This feature adds to the safety factor and enables the prospective user to readily detach the bags and bring the chains into proper use.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved body recovering drag;

Fig. 2 is a view on a smaller scale and in elevation showing how the drag is attached to and towed by -a boat;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing certain of the structural details; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the chain bagging sack.

With reference now to the drawing, the improved body recovering drag comprises a flat triangular frame 8 having forwardly directed side members 28 joined together at their converging ends and providing an apex portion 30 having an associated brace 32. This apex portion provides a place for attachment of the draft cable 38. The diverging ends of the side members 28 are joined by a complemental frame member 10. This frame member is disposed opposite the apex portion 30 and constitutes a support member. Spaced parallel duplicate legs 12 are connected at their forward ends to the respective end portions of the support member 10. These legs are disposed at right angles to the support member and the rearward ends of the legs are outturned and provide journals which are disposed parallel to the support member and are in axial alignment with each other. It will be noted that the journals 14, legs 12 and several members 10 and 28 of the frame all are coplanar. Surface engaging wheels 16 are mounted for free rotation on the journals 14. It follows that the over-all frame 8 is thus cradled between the .wheels and is capable of being swung relative to and toward and from the waters bottom by varying the length of the draft cable 38 which is connected to the aforementioned apex portion 30. The support member 10 is spaced a predetermined as well as a requisite distance forwardly from the common turning axes of the wheels 16. A plurality of individual chains 18 are provided. The rear ends of the chains are free and are provided with grappling hooks 20. Means, broadly speaking, is joined to the support member 10 at longitudinally spaced points and serves to connect the chains 18 to the support member so that the chains are allowed to dangle and hang down from the frame 8 in a manner to bring the grappling hooks into play, depending upon the inclination of the frame 8 to horizontal and vertical.

More specifically, the attaching means referred toin each'instance comprises a bracket 26 and this bracket is made of frangible material. The cooperating or forward end of each companion chain is swivelly connected with the bracket as shown at 22 and 24 (Fig. 3). It follows that if a particular grappling hook 20 on any one of the chains 18 gets caught and hangs on a relatively immovable obstruction (not shown) the abnormal pull to which the chain is then subjected results in the bracket breaking and the chain freeing itself from the support member 10, whereby the intended free-carting action and operation of the drag is substantially unimpeded.

All joints of this drag are welded and the wheels are 10 inch disc wheels which raise the hooks 6 inches 011? the bottom of the stream or lake bed. The wheels 16 will, ordinarily, roll over logs and small debris without damaging the hooks. The swivels permit all of the hooks to turn freely. The bar upon which the hooks are attached may be adjusted as to direction by control of the towing rope.

The hooks can be regulated according to the kind of water in which the device is to be used. For example, on a clean bottom the hooks can be let down to the bottom of the stream. If, however, the bottom is weedy or covered with other debris, the rope attached to the bar can be shortened causing the hooks to raise to a position to about '6 inches off the bottom of the stream bed.

Each set of hooks is protected by a heavy canvas bag 42 with a drawstring-44 to tie around the bags neck 46 at the top of the hooks. This canvas bag should be used in transporting the device and at all other times it is not in use.

Experience gained over a long period of time during which the improved drag has been repeatedly handled by members of the police force, fire department and rescue squad justifies the statement that the invention, being sturdily and solidly constructed, has been able to withstand rough handling which such equipment is bound to receive at the time of a drowning. Also, since the construction is of the very utmost in simplicity and ease of handling it has been effectually used even by inexperienced persons.

Although of no moment, patentably speaking, it will be seen that the duplicate free rotating frame-carting wheels are equipped with rubber tires which have been found to be excellent and efficient whether the device is being handled in or out of the water.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numfimus modifications and changes will readily OCCurItQ those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A body recovering drag comprising a fiat triangularframe having forwardly directed side members joined together at converging ends and providing an apex portion which serves as a place of attachment for a draft cable, the diverging ends of said side members being joined by a frame member, the latter. being disposed opposite to said apex portion and constituting a support member, spaced parallel duplicate legs connected at their forward ends to the respective end portions of said support member, said legs being disposed at right angles to said support member and the rearward ends of said legs being outturned and providing journals disposed parallel to said support member and being in axial alignment with each other, said journals, legs and several members of said frame all being coplanar, surface engaging wheels mounted for free rotation on said journals, said frame being cradled between said wheels and capable of being swung relative to and toward and from the watersbottorn surface by varying the length of a draft cable which is adapted to be connected to the aforementioned apex portion, said support member being spaced a predetermined requisite distance forwardly from the common turning axes of said wheels, a plurality of individual chains, the rear ends of the chains being free and provided with grappling hooks, and means joined to the support member at longitudinally spaced points and connecting said chains to said support member, whereby the chains are allowed to dangle and hang" down from the frame in a manner to bring the grappling hooks into play depending upon the inclination 'of the frame to horizontal and vertical. a 1 I v 2. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein the attaching means in each instance comprises abracket made of ible m terial, h cooperating forward end of the companion chain being swivelly connected with said bracket so that if a grappling hook on any one of the chains gets caught and hangs on a relatively immovable obstruction, the abnormal pull to which. the chain is then subjected results in the bracket breaking and the chain freeing itself from said support member, whereby the intended free-carting action and operation of the drag is substantially unimpeded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 476,920 Denham June 18, 1892 782,067 Shelby etal. r, r s Feb. 7, 19.05 2, 2,764 Otte m Mar. 3, 1936 2,551,998 De Groot V, May 8, 1951 

